Preserving Farmland with Agricultural Security Areas

Preserving Farmland with Agricultural Security Areas

In Pennsylvania, Agricultural Security Areas (ASAs) were established to preserve farmland. Their use is increasing. Adopted as state law by Act 43 in 1981, ASAs promote the continued use of land for productive agricultural purposes by sheltering farmers from nuisance ordinances and eminent domain.

Creating an ASA is fairly straightforward. Working together, farmers, landowners and municipal officials identify areas within a jurisdiction where agriculture is the primary activity, thereby outlining as ASA. Farmers within the designated areas who voluntarilly enroll in the ASA are entitled to special consideration from local and state government agencies.

Among their many benefits, ASAs:
- provide a means by which agricultural land may be protected as a viable segment of the Commonwealth's economy and an important environmental resource;
- encourage landowners to make long-term commitments to agriculture by offering them financial incentives and security of land use;
- protect farming operations from incompatible land uses that may render farming impractical;
- assure permanent conservation of productive agricultural lands;
- provide compensation to landowners in exchange for relinquishment of rights to develop their properties; and
- leverage agricultural easement purchase funds and protect the investment of taxpayers in agricultural conservation easements.

Enrollment in an ASA is now a prerequisite for Pennsylvania landowners wishing to sell their development rights to their county's Agricultural Land Preservation Board. Applicants who want to be considered for the county's purchase of an agriculture conservation easement are also awarded higher scors when abutting lands are enrolled in an ASA.

For information on Agricultural Security Areas, please contact the Conservancy's Western Area Manager John Goodall at 610-383-9515.

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